In recent years, the prevalence of online shopping websites has increased dramatically. Many manufacturers and resellers which operate such websites occasionally offer discounts directed to a certain class of customers. However, the manufacturers may not want their other customers or competitors to become aware of the special discounts being offered. It is therefore desirable to restrict access to the special pricing information to those customers that have been selected to receive the discount.
Known methods for determining which customers are accessing a website generally require the customer to manually input a username and/or password. If the username and password are compromised, unauthorized individuals may gain access to the sensitive pricing information. Other methods, such as the use of browser “cookies,” require the user to enable cookies on their browser, a step many users are unwilling or unable take, as cookies are typically considered a privacy risk. Still other security measures may be employed, such as the use of digital certificates or other encryption keys, however these measures may be difficult or frustrating for users to implement, thereby discouraging the use of an online shopping website.
The manufacturers and resellers may also have problems determining the specific product customizations that are appropriate for a given class of customers and, more particularly, conveying such information to the manufacturing facility or distribution center for each unit of product purchased. There is therefore a need for systems and methods which provide a more secure, yet convenient, shopping experience for the user and a more streamlined manufacturing and/or distribution process for the provider. The present application fills this need.